Dear Editor,
Red Thread’s drop-in/outreach centre for women and children who are in violent situations has begun to compile reports about incidents of abuse from three daily newspapers (the Kaieteur, Stabroek and Chronicle).
The figures for the month of September 2008 show that there is a massive amount of violence against women and children: 2 reports of murders, 7 of physical abuse (men beating women), 4 of sexual assault, 3 of carnal knowledge (young children), 1 of rape, and 2 of indecent assault – a total of 19 cases in one month.
The media and the society tend to show more concern for certain kinds of violence. If 19 Guyanese of one race had been violently assaulted by Guyanese of another race, the whole country would have been in an uproar. All violence is evil and must be condemned.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has been taking steps to combat violence against women and children. The police have surely received enough training, including from Dr. Janice Jackson, to begin to improve how they relate to abused women and children who bring reports to them. The courts need serious work. And the religious organizations which are so vocal against things that they consider ills but which hurt no one, must do a far, far better job in speaking out against violence against women and children.
Yours faithfully,
Cora Belle Roberts
Shirley Shaffeek
for Red Thread
